Adjustable filtering device for smoking articles

ABSTRACT

This invention relates to a means for filtering the smoke in cigars, cigarettes and the like by means of an adjustable filter which may be compressed to provide maximum filtration or partially compressed to effect a lesser filtration of the smoke.

United States Patent 9 Inventor Appl. No.

Filed Patented Assignee Mortimer Rlssell Dock New York, N.Y.

Oct. 16, 1969 Aug. 31, 1971 The 11-2-0 Filter Corporation New York, N.Y.

ADJUSTABLE FILTERING DEVICE FOR SMOKING ARTICLES 2 Claims, 4 DrawingFigs.

US. Cl 131/261 A, 13l/l0.l, 131/107 Int. Cl A24d 01/04, A24f 13/06, A24f25/02 501 FieldofSearch 131/9,10 R,lO.1,lO.3,l73

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,893,399 7/1959 Jacoby131/101 3,250,230 5/1966 Yow-Jiunltu 131/1o.1x 3,5l3,859 5/1970 Carty131/10.1x

Primary Examiner-Samuel Koren Assistant Examiner-G. M. Yahwak ABSTRACT:This invention relates to a means for filtering the smoke in cigars,cigarettes and the like by means of an adjustable filter which may becompressed to provide maximum filtration or partially compressed toeffect a lesser filtration of the smoke.

PATENTEU AUB31 I97:

INVENTOR. MORTIMER RUSS ELL DOCK g b.l4

ADJUSTABLE FILTERING DEVICE FOR SMOKING ARTICLES The present inventionoffers an improvement over known methods of efiecting wet filtration oftobacco smoke, and is especially directed toward a means for governingthe extent of such filtration, to suit the preference of the individualsmoker.

The present invention used certain features set forth in U.S. Patent No.3,366,121 and in copending applications, Serial Nos. 662,920, filed Aug.27, I967, now U.S. Patent No. 3,502,084 and 680,837, filed Nov. 6, 1967,now U.S. Patent No. 3,515,859, all of which have been assigned to andare owned in their entirety by the assignee hereof. In all of saidapplications there is taught the use of containers having fluid contentin combination with compressed absorbent, expansible material, saidmaterial being activated by the rupture of said containers to releasethe moisture content thereof and to cause absorption of the fluid by thesponge material and the consequent expansion of the latter.

The principle of using a wet filter to entrap certain combustionproducts resulting from the burning of tobacco is extended by thisinvention through the provision of means for telescopic compression ofthe filter element to reduce the permeability of the moistened spongematerial, thus forcing all smoke to be drawn through the sponge and notaround it.

For a better understanding of the invention, reference is made to theaccompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the filter device of the presentinvention attached to a cigarette;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the two parts of the housmg;

FIG. 3 is a cross section taken on line 33 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is the view of FIG. 3 after compression of the projecting portionof the filter rod to force the same into the end of the housing.

With more particular reference to the drawings, in which like numeralsindicate corresponding parts in all views,

In FIG. 1 there is shown a filter device attached to cigarette 11, withhousing 12 severed at 13 to create an annular member 14 surrounding theend of the filter member 15.

The view of FIG. 2 shows housing 12 and member 14 in cross section.

In FIG. 3, projecting filter member 15 and filter member 16 are shownwithin opposite ends of the housing 12 and disposed therebetween, spongematerial 17 and hollow bodies 18 partially filled with fluid 19.

FIG. 4 shows the cross section of FIG. 3 after compression of the filterto force filter member 15 into the housing 12, rupturing the fluidcontainers and releasing their contents into sponge 17 to causeexpansion thereof.

In operation, the filter is activated by the removal of the annularmember 14 and pressure of the filter rod at the smokers end of thefilter, to force said rod into the housing, thus by such force causingthe rupture of the fluid containers and the release of their contentsinto the adjacent sponge material which, being compressed and absorbent,is caused to expand when moistened and thereby fills the spacepreviously occupied by the dry sponge and the fluid containers. Suchexpanpass through the filter and into the smokers mouth.

For a smoker who desires maximum filtration of the smoke, the projectingfilter rod is pressed all the way into the housing so that the outer endof the filter rod is flush with the end of the housing.

For other smokers who desire less than maximum filtration, the tobaccorod may be pressed into the housing only part of the way so that thesponge material is less closely packed.

As one of the steps in the manufacture of the filter, and in conformitywith the general practice of making double length filters forsimultaneous attachment to two tobacco rods at opposite ends of thefilter and subsequent separation at the center thereof, cutting meansare suggested for severing the filter housing at points opposite andequidistant from the center of the double length filter, and othercutting means for severing the housing and the filter rod at the centerpoint between the two halves of the double length filter.

The suggested cutting of the filter housing leaves an annular part 14thereof severed from the housing 12 but surrounding the outer end of thefilter rod 15. Such annular member serves to protect the device frompremature or inadvertent compression of the filter rod.

In preparing to smoke a cigarette having attached thereto the filterdevice of the present invention, the severed annular member 14 isremoved and the projecting end of the filter rod is pressedtelescopically into the housing, thus rupturing the fluid containers l8and releasing the contents 19 thereof into the sponge material 17.Continued pressure upon the filter rod reduces the space available toaccommodate the moistened sponge, thereby increasing the filteringeffectiveness of said sponge, as above described.

The invention having been thus disclosed, what I claim is:

1. in a filter for smoking devices having a substantially cylindricalhousing and disposed within each end thereof a conventional filter rod,and disposed between and in contact with said filter rods, compressedabsorbent, expansible sponge material, and at least two rupturablecontainers having a fluid content, and longitudinally spaced from eachother within said sponge material, the improvement of having one of saidfilter rods slidably fitted within one end of said cylindrical housingand projecting beyond the outer and thereof, whereby said one filter rodmay be controllably pushed inwardly selective distances to vary theamount of compression on said sponge material to selectively control therupturing of said containers in sequence.

2. The invention of claim I wherein said projecting end of said filterrod is protected by an annular member severed from said housing andsurrounding said projecting end, said member being removed from saidprojecting end prior to the compression thereof into said housing.

2. The invention of claim 1 wherein said projecting end of said filterrod is protected by an annular member severed from said housing andsurrounding said projecting end, said member being removed from saidprojecting end prior to the compression thereof into said housing.